Engine-starting mechanism



Dec. 1, 1925. 1,563,992 E. R. HUNTLEY ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM FiledFeb 16, 1921 INVENTOR. Err/ea! R Hunilgy ATTORNEY Patented Dec 1, 1.9235.

UNITED ERNEST R. HUITTLEY, OF LGS ANGEIE$ GALTF JEHEA, AS.

SEARCH CORE'OBATION, 0E OHIO, ii. CGRPC 'F T101? 01: DELAVIABE.

ENGINE-STARTING EZECHAETSBK.

Application filed February 18,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST R. HUNTLEY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, county of LosAngeles, and State of California, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Engine- Starting Mechanism, of which I declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact cescription.

This invention relates to starting mechanism for engines particularlyinternal combustion engines as used on automotive vehicles.

An object of the invention is the provision of a type of drive inconnection with a starting motor wherein the driving pinion of the motoris moved automatically into and out of engagement with the enginemember.

Another object is the utilization of driving mechanism in which theshock of engage ment at starting and the variation in load is yieldinglyabsorbed.

A further ob ect is to provide a spring element which will permit safeenmeshment of the gears when the teeth of pinion and engine member donot properly engage at the initial meshing movement.

Still another object is to employ an arrangement of pinion motorconnection which permits transmission of power from motor to engine onlywhen the pinion is in close juxtaposition to the pinion shaft bearingthereby preventing undue strain on the drive shaft.

An object also is to provide a mechanism in which the parts most needinginspection are placed in an easily accessible position.

Further objects and objects relating to economies of manufacture anddetails of construction will definitely appear from the followingdetailed description and the accompanying drawings in which Figure I isa longitudinal view partly in section of the device connected to anelectric motor, the drive pinion being adjacent the engine fly-wheel;and

Figure 11 is a view of the drive shaft and associated mechanism at theend of the motor opposite from that to which the pinion is attached.

In Figure I, I have shown the electricmotor 10 secured to the enginecasing 11 at a point in close proximity to the engine flywheel 12. Themotor is of conventional ty 3e and as shown consists in a maincylindrical Serial No. 4%,371.

casting 13 with an integral base 1 1 the central portion of which isextended through the casing 11 to form a bearing 15. The outer oearing16 is formed in the end plate 1?, which latter is fastened to the maincasting 13 means of bolts 18. The bolts 18 serve also to hold the fieldlaminations 19 in place.

The armature 20 is positioned so that the connnutator 21 is at the outerend and the whole is fixed to a hollow shaft 22 iournaled in the abovementioned bearings 15 and 16. This shaft has for the main part a uniforminner diameter but at the commutator end a portion 23 has an enlargedinner diameter. Adapted to have a lin'iited sliding and rotary enagement with the enlarged portion 23 of the hollow shaft is a cylinderor sleeve 2 1, the outer part 25 of which protrudes beyond the shaft andis enlarged so that a shoulder 26 is formed to limit the movement of thesleeve into the shaft.

The outer end of the sleeve is formed with a flange 27. Similarly theouter end of the hollow shaft 22 has an outwardly extending flange 28,and to the two flanges, by means of rivets 29 and 30, the flat coilspring 31 is attached, thus forming a resilient connection between thesleeve and hollow shaft. For a purpose hereinafter to be described therivet 30 joining the spring and sleeve is extended beyond the sleeveflange 27.

Loosely mounted within the hollow shaft 22 so as to have rotary andsliding movement relative thereto, is a drive shaft 32. The driving end33 of the shaft 32 adjacent the bearing 15 is fitted snugly to thehollow shaft; but the major portion of the drive shaft has a diminisheddiameter so that friction between the shafts is reduced to a minimum.The driving end carries the drive pinion 34 which is adapted to meshwith the radially projected teeth 35 of the fly wheel 12.

The commutator end of the drive shaft is screw threaded, as at 36, thethreads meshing with an internal thread 37 formed on the interior of theouter portion 25 of the sleeve 2- 1. Rotation of the drive shaft willcause it to move axially in the sleeve and in order to limit thismovement there is pro vided two sets of steps. For limiting meshingmovement a ring stop 39 integral with the drive shaft is utilized whichis adapted to engage with the inner end of the sleeve when the pinion isfully in mesh with the fly-wheel-teeth. The engagement of the step 39and inner end of the sleeve 24 prevents further relative rotation ofsleeve and shaft and hence the drive is from the hollow shaft throughthe spring directly to the drive shaft.

It is desirable to have a stop for limiting disengaging movement of thepinion and for this purpose a washer :0 non rotatably mounted on theshaft is employed having a projecting tongue 41 at its edge which inrotation is adapted to engage the projecting end of the rivet 30 whenthe pinion is cone pletely disengaged from the engine ti-ywheel. Thepitch of the screw thread is such that a complete rotation of the driveshaft relative to the sleeve when the stop 30 and tongue are in contactwill more these parts relatively in an axial direction so that furthercontact is prevented.

h. nut; locked to the shaft "3' a cotter pin 43 secures the washer tothe shaft.

In describing the operation of the motor it is assumed that the partsare in the position shown in Figure 1, that is, in inoperative position.Upon the energization of the motor, the sleeve, driven by the springthrough the hollow motor shaft, is rotated. 'lhereupon, the drive shaft,because of its screw threaded connection to the sle V0 and because ofits inertia, is moved axiall the drive pinion meshing with the iii-wheel gear.

Upon complete enmeshinent the ring stop 39 contacts the sleeve end andprevents further axial movement of the drive shaft, power then beingtransmitted from the motor shaft, through the yielding spring, directlyto the drive shaft.

\Vhen the engine starts up under its own power the drive shaft, becauseof the higher speed imparted to it than that from the motor, is screwedout of mesh until the tongue stop engages the pin 30.

In the event that the pinion fails to mesh properly with the engine gearin the initial movement the gear teeth meeting end to end, the sleeveyields toward the pinion until the rotation of the pinion brought aboutby the increased frictional grip of the rotating sleeve on the driveshaft, permits the pinion teeth to slip into mesh. As jamming of partsand breakage results unless this inechanisn'i is provided the drive isthus made operable and satisfactory under all conditions of use.

\Vhat I claim is:

l. in a starter drive for engines the combination of a motor having ahollow shaft; a drive shaft, screw threaded adjacent one end; a stop armextending radially from the dr -e shaft at the end adjacent the screwwaded portion; a drive wheel fixed to the other end of the shaft; asleeve screw threadto the threaded shaft portion, said sleeve carrying apin adapted to engage the stop arm; a spring coiled around the shaft andadapted to form a driving connection be tween the hollow shaft andsleeve; said stop arm engagi said stop pin only when he sleeve is at itsouter limit'of movement on the drive shaft.

in an engine starting mechanism, the combin .tion of a hollow shaft; adrive shaft :elidahle within the hollow shaft; a pinion lined to thedrive shaft; a sleeve intermediate the hollow shaft and drive shaft; ay' lding driving connection between the sieeve and hollow shaft; a screwthreaded connection between the sleeve and drive shaft; cooperativemeans on said drive shaft and sleeve adapted to limit the movement ofthe drive shaft into the hollow shaft; and additional cooperative meanson said sleeve and drive shaft operative to limit movement of the driveshaft out of the hollow shaft.

In testimony whereof, I atiix my signature.

ERNEST R. HUNTLE Y.

